I'll Never Leave You
by siriuslymaddie
Summary: After the death of his sister, Steve is torn up. Only one person can comfort him at this time. Hurt/comfort & slash. Present for Silke. :


I'll Never Leave You

After Mary's funeral, all Steve could do was walk blindly. He had completely forgotten about his car, avoiding everyone who tried to console him, and walked home. It was quite a long walk but he didn't care. He was clad in his NAVY uniform, the hat on his head pulled down to hide his eyes. He kept his eyes on the ground and walked aimlessly as if his body had taken control over his mind and just led him home.

He wanted to shout, get angry, even cry – but nothing was coming to him. Now he just didn't know what to do. When he tried staring ahead into his future, he saw nothing. Just a blank space.

A loop of memories would take over his mind and he'd see his family together once more, back before his mother died, back before his father…and back before Mary was taken away from him as well. Every single one of them by a murder. In Hawaii.

He didn't even know if he could stay on the island anymore considering all that he had been through there. Now he had nothing left. No family – nothing. Everything seemed so much less important now. All of his worries from before just vanished into thin air and somehow he felt lighter about that but so much heavier the second Mary's face flashed in his mind. It was often bad when it was his father, he knowing that it was his fault. But this? This was his fault, too. Mary being gone. She was his little sister, it was his job to take care of her but now she was gone. For all he knew, he may have done something to cause his mother's death.

The blame was all on him.

Steve entered his house, and when he sat down, he had barely any recollection of the walk back.

He sat in the dark living room and just let the images swirl around in his head. He sat there and welcomed the guilt because he knew that if he didn't feel guilty, he had no place on this Earth considering it was _his_ fault. All of it. He was completely and utterly alone now.

Steve was broken out of any and every reverie when he heard a car pull up in the driveway. He had no intention of getting up and seeing who it was or even getting the door because a few moments later, Danny entered the house. Clearly, Steve had forgotten to lock it.

Danny didn't say anything. He moved over to the armchair Steve was in and crouched down by it watching his partner who didn't look at him. He hadn't even moved. Steve was still acting as if nothing had changed since he had gotten home.

"Hey," Danny whispered. He had no intention to whisper but it felt like the right thing to do. He didn't want to come on too strong in case Steve snapped. "I'm not going to ask if you're okay, because I know you're not, so don't expect it from me."

Over fifty people had asked Steve over and over if he was okay. Before the funeral, during the funeral, after the funeral - they'd probably keep asking long after the twentieth anniversary of his sister's death.

Steve, his knuckles resting against his lips, murmured, "Thanks." And he truly was grateful but not in the mood to give Danny an award winning speech as to why and what it meant to him.

"Is it alright if I stay with you?" Danny asked, resting his hand on Steve's arm. "I don't want you to be alone. And to be completely honest, I won't leave even if you do shoot me."

Steve nodded slowly, still not looking at Danny. He knew there was no way that Danny was going to leave him and he knew that Danny would understand any reaction he had to anything during this time of 'mourning' or whatever everyone kept calling it.

Danny stood up straight and sat on the edge of the armchair where Steve was sitting, and lightly ran his hand through Steve's hair. Steve moved a slight inch towards Danny and then pretty soon had his head cradled in Danny's lap as he chewed on his thumbs nail, hot tears rushing down his face.

Steve wasn't making a sound, the tears almost acting on their own accord, as Danny lightly stroked his face. Steve gripped Danny's pant leg tightly, holding onto him for dear life as if he, too, would disappear on him and leave him all alone.

After Steve's eyes were red and bloodshot and burning, no more tears left to give, he sniffed and asked, "Are you ever going to leave me, Danno?"

Danny felt his heart thump loudly in his chest as he placed his hand on the underside of Steve's face and turned him to look him in the eyes, the first time he had since he had arrived. Steve's eyes were red and still full of the tears that he hadn't wiped away, a helpless look in them.

"No," Danny whispered, moving his face close to Steve's, his eyes locked on Steve's to make sure that he knew that he was telling the truth. "I'll never leave you."

Steve tried to smile in response but only managed to lift his hand, place it on the back of Danny's head and close the gap between their faces, the kiss soft and tentative at first before turning more passionate as Danny responded.

When they broke for air, Danny pecked Steve's lips gently twice more and said, "Not even when you're old and grey and still driving me insane. Not even if you get me shot on a daily basis, I'm staying. And you can't get rid of me. Never, ever, ever."

"What if you fall in love with someone else?" Steve asked as if he were a child expecting to get his heart broken.

"No one could ever hold a candle to you, babe," Danny smiled down at him.

"Even if they don't get you shot?"

"Even if they don't get me shot."

Steve sniffed and found Danny's hand, entwining their fingers. He then kissed Danny's knuckles, hugging their entwined hands to his chest and, without intending to, fell asleep with Danny running his fingers through his hair, muttering sweet nothings in his ear, into the evening.


End file.
